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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1375-1700+

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Hir, Hyr, pron. Also: hire, hyre, hyrre, her. [ME. hyr, hir, hyre, hire, OE. hire dat. (and later acc.) of héo, hío, she.]

1. The feminine pronoun denoting one person in direct or indirect objective use: Her.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi. 283 (E).
He … gert hyr gang in hastily And othyr wemen to be hyr by
a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 63.
Quhen men lede hyre to the stede
a1400 Ib. xvi. 51.
Now here of hyre we begyne
c1420 Wynt. iii. 197.
Hym behowyd … Tell hyr all the suthfastnes
c1420 Ib. 1022.
He … bade hyr kepe thame tendyrly
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 32.
Quhen Waltyr hyr of Waillis fra Warayn socht
c1508 Chepman and Myllar Prints (S.T.S.) 14.
I can prise na mare Of hyre
1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 207.
Certane soumes of mony aucht to hyre
(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxviii. 554.
He hire requerit To gyf hyme ansuere
a1400 Ib. l. 59.
To fend hire fra hir fa
c1450-2 Howlat 72.
Quha sall mak me ane mendis of hir worth a myte
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 27.
Malcom Wallas hir gat in mariage
1490 Irland Mir. I. 86/30.
He wsit hire to his help
1533 Gau 35/1.
Jesus ansuert to hir
1540 Elgin Rec. I. 48.
The said tuenty schillingis aucht be hir to him
1567 Satirical Poems iii. 74.
Full weill was hir … that scho was fre
1608 Melrose R. Rec. I. 62.
James Maben deponis he saw him cast hir on the scalpe
1643 Strathbogie Presb. 38.
He neuer knew hir to be suspect of vitchcraft

b. reflex. Herself.a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 45.
The Magdalane That fyrst hyre gaf til al delyt
c1420 Wynt. iii. 423.
Quhen scho saw hyr … swa Dyssavyde
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace I. 277.
His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid

c. Hir allane. See Allane a. 2.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii. 171.
Sitand … Be the fyre al hyre alane
c1420 Wynt. viii. 725.
Hys douchtyr … sall … hald hys herytage hyr allane
a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 666.
He callit the quene by hire allane
1533 Bell. Livy II. 9/28.
Thus stude Virginia hir allane
1597 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 129.
To dwell hir allane in ane hous

d. Applied by a Gaelic speaker to himself.c1450-2 Howlat 797.
Raike hir a rug of the rost, or scho sall ryme thé
1665–7 Lauder Journals 128.
He forgets the name … ‘Ay, hir owne selfe hes forgotten it’

2. Applied to a thing, as a ship, mill, etc., in place of it.1375 Barb. xvii. 407 (E).
Vith bargis by hyr gan thai row
1375 Ib. 409.
To tow Hyr by the brighous to the wall
1478 Binns P. MS. No. 17.
As to the brekin of the said myln … the said Henry to … mak hir als gud … as scho was
c1500 Harl. MS. 4700 fol. 148 b.
Thai may nocht sell the takle of hir [a ship]
a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 450.
Into the Katryne thou maid a foull cahute, For thow bedrait hir
1532 Master of Works Accounts II. 41.
Sand furnist with the kingis awne cart with tymmer attour the aslaris led with hir
1542 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries II. 391.
For brekin of the knok, and … the expensis maid upon the mending of hir
1600 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 734.
For … ane platt forme to the commoun bell that may mak hir to he easey rung
1617 Master of Works Accounts XV. 44 b.
For a fraucht of the falcoun … and careing of hir to the castell
1662 Lamont Diary 143.
The corne kill ther … was brunt, haueing 11 bolls oatts on hir
1701 Foulis Acc. Bk. 294.
For helping the coatch and a new axe tree to her

17645

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